Heavy rain kills at least 27 in Nepal, 56 in Uttar Pradesh
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At least 27 people have been killed after heavy rainfall in Nepal, Press Trust of India reported adding that heavy rains triggered flooding and landslides that have “destroyed” more than 200 houses and “damaged” 31 bridges. The newswire said that an avalanche also struck the base camp of the 7,126 m Himlung Himal peak, leaving 22 missing. A BBC News video shows a government building in a flood-hit district in western Nepal shaking on the edge, before collapsing into the Daram river. Four days of rain and flooding “have left a school in Bharatpur buried under mud, forcing classes to stop”, reported the Kathmandu Post.
Fifty-six people have been killed in Uttar Pradesh since Friday (September 25, 2026), with at least eight districts facing a flood-like situation after an intense three-day wet spell, the Hindu reported. The State received 45.1 mm of rainfall in the 24 hours ending Sunday (September 27), against the normal 1.8 mm
The newspaper noted that the highest number of deaths during the 60 hours were reported from Sitapur, followed by Lakhimpur Kheri, Bahraich, Balrampur, Ayodhya and Gorakhpur. The officials said 1,021 houses were damaged. People from flood-affected areas were shifted to relief shelters and homes.
Indian government has suspended the Char Dham Yatra. The weather office ( IMD) has warned of intensifying rains in Uttar Pradesh over the weekend; a red alert has been issued for several districts across the State, reported the Hindu.
13% to 15% national rainfall deficit hides large-scale distress: AP 43%, Bihar 37%, Punjab 40%. Meghalaya 59%
Half of India has had a bad monsoon, and while the national deficit figure may look manageable, it disguises the distress of large swathes of rain-deficit India, explained Jaideep Hardikar in a report in National Herald.
In Dharashiv in Maharshtra’s Marathwada region normal rainfall in June and July was followed by 27.9 per cent (of normal) rain in August and only 3.7 per cent till 20 September, Hardikar said adding that just when soya bean was flowering and forming pods, there was practically no rain. Overall, this season, the district has received just 310.7 mm against a long-period average expected rainfall of 603.1 mm (a deficit of nearly 50 per cent) and there has been no rain in the district for 80 days.
The outlet said the groundwater level has dropped by over seven metres, and is below the five-year average. Revenue officials estimate crop losses of 80–85 per cent. Distraught farmers are cutting up their dried soya bean plants to feed cattle, the article stated.
The expected national rainfall deficit of 15% does not reveal the full extent of the problem, the article noted. The IMD’s (India Meteorological Department) district-wise data for 1 June to 30 September shows that 342 of 734 districts for which data is available received ‘deficient’ (-20 to -59 per cent) or ‘large deficient’ (-60 to -99 per cent) rainfall. Of these, 303 districts are listed as ‘deficient’ and 39 as ‘large deficient’. Only 305 districts are listed under ‘normal’ (-19 to +19 per cent) rainfall.
In other words, half of India has had a bad monsoon, and while the national deficit figure (of 15 per cent) may look manageable, it disguises the distress of large swathes of rain-deficit India.
Bangkok floods send thousands into shelters after days of rain
Thousands of residents of the Thai capital Bangkok were forced into shelters after more than 330mm of rain between Thursday and Sunday, Agence France-Presse reported adding that nearly 4,900 people from 52,000 households had been evacuated into shelters after floods that prompted a “disaster declaration across the capital”. It continues: “Thailand is used to wet weather and September is the peak of the rainy season, but several Bangkok residents said this year seemed worse than previous ones…Scientists warn that the intensity and frequency of extreme weather events will increase as the planet continues to heat up because of fossil-fuel emissions.” The Associated Press: more than 545,000 in 25 other provinces of the country had been “impacted by flooding as of Sunday”. Reuters and BBC News. Reuters said the damage will cost at least $327m.
US households hit by surge in electricity shutoffs amid record hot summer
A record hot summer collided unhappily with rising energy costs for households across the US that struggled to the point where many were disconnected from their electricity supply, even as dangerous heat baked their communities, reported the Guardian.
The newspaper said that In July, the hottest month ever recorded in the US, 173,598 households were shut off from their electric supply by utilities across 10 states, figures provided to the Guardian show. This snapshot of American life points to a worsening problem, with the rate of electricity disconnections surging 28% compared to July 2024.
The outlet explained tbet even as three separate “heat dome” events scorched the US in July, probably worsened by global heating caused by the burning of fossil fuels, many people were rationing their use of air conditioning and other appliances or lost use of them entirely by being cut off for non-payment.
China expects strongest super El Niño event on record this year
China expects the current El Niño event to become the strongest on record, officials of China's National Climate Centre said at a press conference yesterday, reported Reuters. The news wire agency said: “The sea surface temperature index is projected to peak at 3.2C to 3.5C around November, for the strongest super El Niño event since records of instrument measurements began.” The current El Niño event has already become record-breaking for daily strength.
El Niño: Thousands of displaced in southwest Somalia could be in famine by year-end, IPC says
“Thousands of displaced people in Somalia's southwest could experience famine between October and December if El Niño causes worse-than-expected flooding and humanitarian aid remains insufficient,” reported Reuters. According to the newswire, a report by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) – an initiative of UN agencies, regional bodies and aid groups – found that “more than 5 million Somalis, 26% of the analysed population, are already suffering crisis-level food insecurity or worse due to repeated droughts, conflict and aid shortfalls”.
Super-sized El Niño could cause more than 450,000 heat deaths by February
Nearly half a million people across the world could lose their lives by February due to El Niño-driven extreme heat, according to a sobering new report, covered by CNN Reuters, the Independent, Al Jazeera.
El Niño, a natural climate pattern which typically ramps up global temperature, has now crossed into super-sized territory and is on its way to becoming record-breakingly strong, the outlet said.
The report explained that combined with the global warming the planet is already experiencing from fossil fuel pollution, the heat consequences could be devastating, according to the analysis from the Climate Impact Lab, a team of scientists, economists and data engineers headquartered at the University of Chicago, and published Wednesday.
The report estimates the heat from El Niño could take 451,000 lives between June 2026, when it arrived, and February 2027. Those deaths would be in addition to the usual number of heat-related deaths.
The researchers believe this number is likely to rise — El Nino is expected to last until the Northern Hemisphere spring, meaning its heat impacts will linger into the summer months.
The deaths from extreme heat would also come in addition to those expected from other El Niño-fueled extreme weather, including fires, floods and droughts, according to the report.
‘Super El Niño’ breaks ‘remarkable’ all-time record
As of 21 September, the daily anomaly in the Niño 3.4 region stands at 3.11C, surpassing the previous record of 3.08C. Some scientists, using a different baseline for calculating the anomaly, called the new record a few days before.
Either way, this is remarkable, in part because of how early in the calendar year it is occurring. El Niño typically peaks in the winter months, most commonly in November or December.
Every strong El Niño on record has continued to strengthen after mid-September – and there is every reason to think that this one will as well.
El Niño events are typically classed as “weak” when the Niño 3.4 anomaly reaches 0.5C, “moderate” above 1C, “strong” above 1.5C and “very strong” above 2.0C. For this year’s event, the Niño 3.4 anomaly has now reached 3.11C, breaking the previous record from 18 November 2015, set during a “very strong” El Nino event.
Türkiye prioritizes ocean protection in COP31 climate agenda
Turkey held an “oceans and seas summit” in Trabzon as part of the nation’s preparations for hosting the COP31 climate summit in November, reported the Daily Sabah. COP31 president-designate Murat Kurum stressed that oceans would be a priority in the summit’s “action agenda”.
The Turkish presidency said it would work with Australia’s COP31 team – which will lead the formal negotiations – to elevate oceans, “including through engagement with the Pacific” at the “pre-COP” in Fiji, reported Climate Home News.
Irish Times: “Irish summers likely to feature ‘extreme evaporation’ due to climate change, say scientists”
Central Tokyo records longest rainy streak at 34 straight days
Rain has fallen in central Tokyo for 34 consecutive days through Tuesday, marking the longest streak on record, CGTN reported citing Kyodo News.
The wet spell began on August 27 as typhoons, a stalled autumn rain front, and a trough of low pressure contributed to the repeated precipitation in the area.
It surpassed the previous record of 33 straight days set between June 27 and July 29 in 2019, the report said, citing Japan's weather agency.
The heaviest rainfall during the current streak came on September 21, when 156 mm fell as Typhoon Dujuan battered the Kanto region, including Tokyo.
The typhoon brought record downpours, triggered landslides and river flooding, and left 14 people dead in areas near the Japanese capital.